William's Song a Day Blog - est. September 2007

From: Bwncath ; Year: 2017; Genre: Folk Rock Discovered this Welsh band the other day, and as always, I love anything different, which Bwncath definitely fits. From wot I understand Bwncath in the Welsh language translates as Buzzard, hence the band's logo I suppose. Anyway, I know absolutely no Welsh in either written or spoken form, which they sing in, however, from wot I have read, this track is about the famous Welsh pirate Bartholomew Roberts , (aka: Black Bart), who was the most successful buccaneer of the golden age of piracy. On this one they idealize the exploits and stories of the long-dead countryman. I really like the music, especially the reverb-heavy surf style guitar that adds a lot to the overall folk rock sound of the band.   Hear Barti Ddu on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Paul Kantner and Jefferson Starship - Home/Have You Seen the Stars Tonight     My song pick 2 years ago today: Molly Hatchet - Backstabber  ...

From: Love Stories & Other Musings ; Year; 2012; Genre: Alternative Rock/Pop Rock Though I wouldn't describe this summer as "sweet," (more like dry, hot and smoky, at least here), we are now fully into what is known by the idiom: "Dog Days of Summer." The etymology actually was referring to the star Sirius , which is the brightest star as view from Earth and the fact that it rises with the sun and thus returns to the night sky during this time of year is the connection. Being that it is catalogued as the alpha star in the constellation Canis Majoris, (the big dog), it is also known as the "Dog Star." Anyway, I digress, just felt like picking something from Candlebox today, no other reason. And this track off of their 2012 album  Love Stories & Other Musings just felt like a good fit.    Hear Sweet Summertime on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Cameo - Better Days     My song pick 2 years ago today: Bootsy Collins - Th...

From: Clouds ; Year: 1969; Genre: Folk So, a new month doth begin.... I have always been an admirer of Joni Mitchell's musical ability and songwriting, of which she really does not get the recognition entitled, outside of the serious and accomplished or so it would seem. This is probably one of, if not her most famous piece of music; it is really amongst the "landmark" songs of the last century. There's really nothing about it that is "wanting" in any aspect and leaves it to the listener to pick out and listen to the track deeply or more shallow depending on the person and mood at the time.   Hear Both Sides, Now on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Queen - Seven Seas on Rhye     My song pick 2 years ago today: Al Di Meola - Broken Heart     My song pick 3 years ago today: The Searchers - Needles & Pins   My song pick 4 years ago today: The Offspring - I Choose   My song pick 5 years ago today: Wolfmother - The S...

From: Movin' On ; Year: 1975; Genre: Funk No idea why, but had Lionel Ritchie on my brain for this final pick of July; why not something downright funky from the band he made his name with?     Hear Gimme My Mule on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Iain Matthews - Slip Away     My song pick 2 years ago today: Stormwarrior - Freeborn     My song pick 3 years ago today: Fleetwood Mac - I'm So Afraid   My song pick 4 years ago today: Frank Zappa - He Used to Cut the Grass   My song pick 5 years ago today: England Dan & John Ford Coley - The Prisoner   My song pick 6 years ago today: Firehouse - All She Wrote   My song pick 7 years ago today: Jethro Tull - Motoreyes My song pick 8 years ago today: Ween - The Mollusk My song pick 9 years ago today: Simon & Garfunkle - At the Zoo My song pick 10 years ago today: Rush - Prime Mover My song pick 11 years ago today: Dazz Band - Swoop "I'm ...

From: The Wörld is Yours ; Year: 2011; Genre: Hard Rock/Metal Time for another fast as heck hard rocking song from Lemmy and his band Motörhead. I have said it before, and I'll say it again: I wish to God that I had the same ability to be as unforgivingly eloquent and immune to ridicule as Mr. Ian Kilmister.   Hear Bye Bye Bitch Bye Bye on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Blue Öyster Cult - Don't Come Running To Me     My song pick 2 years ago today: Black Sabbath - Killing Yourself to Live     My song pick 3 years ago today: Al Di Meola - Atavism of Twilight   My song pick 4 years ago today: Lou Reed - My Red Joystick   My song pick 5 years ago today: Stevie Wonder - Don't You Worry About a Thing   My song pick 6 years ago today: Cream - Take it Back   My song pick 7 years ago today: Sweet - Ballroom Blitz My song pick 8 years ago today: Bachman-Turner Overdrive (BTO) - Don't Let the Blues Get You Down ...

From: Road Runner ; Year: 1966; Genre: Soul/R&B/Motown Was thinking about the landmark film Cooley High last night, which is one I want to watch again, (I'm a) Road Runner was of course included in its amazing soundtrack. There's so much to love about this one; no detractors in the slightest in my biased opinion.   Hear (I'm a) Road Runner on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Supertramp - Brother Where You Bound     My song pick 2 years ago today: Fairport Convention - Book Song     My song pick 3 years ago today: Heart - Without You   My song pick 4 years ago today: Stanley Clarke - We Supply   My song pick 5 years ago today: ZZ Top - Stages   My song pick 6 years ago today: Jethro Tull - Strip Cartoon   My song pick 7 years ago today: Steve Vai - The Animal My song pick 8 years ago today: Savatage - Strange Wings My song pick 9 years ago today: Bay City Rollers - Saturday Night My song pick 10...

From: Liege & Lief ; Year: 1969; Genre: Folk/Folk Rock This is another really interesting piece that is a folk rock arrangement of a traditional folk song: Roud 493; known as The Deserter and/or Ratcliffe Highway . From wot I can find, it was written sometime in either the 18th or 17th Century and has no definite author. One aspect about a lot of these old folk ballads is that most are based on a kernel of truth about some actual happening, although I do not know anything about if it is true of this one. The Deserter is one that Sandy Denny lent her beautiful voice to as lead vocalist, which, in my opinion is already a big win. However, though one should not be remissed in the great folk rock arrangement of the band. That floating time signature that is mostly in a waltz keeps the listener off balance somewhat, but helps to keep the attention of those beholding the story being told as to not let their regard for it to diminish.   Hear The Deserter on YouTube.     ...

From: An Hour Before It's Dark ; Year: 2022; Genre: Progressive Rock Just needed some "neo-prog" today; decided on picking something from Marillion's most recent studio album. As with the majority of the pieces of music on the record, Be Hard On Yourself is made up of three smaller tracks: i. The Tear in the Big Picture , ii. Lust for Luxury , and iii. You Can Learn . To my ears Steve Hogarth's vocals remind me of Meat Loaf at times throughout this one, but other than that it is pretty similar to more recent Marillion across the board, which is excellent and exactly wot I needed.   Hear Be Hard On Yourself on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Chuck Mangione - Feels So Good     My song pick 2 years ago today: Green Day - F.O.D.     My song pick 3 years ago today: Van Halen - Dreams   My song pick 4 years ago today: Blue Öyster Cult - The Great Sun Jester   My song pick 5 years ago today: King Crimson - Lady of the D...

From: Getting Heavier ; Year 2002; Genre: Power Metal Started listening to Racer X again the other day; it has been fun to once again acquaint myself with their music. The technicality combined with the full-on power metal story-driven music/subject matter really works well.   Hear Lucifer's Hammer on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Jim & Ingrid Croce - What the Hell     My song pick 2 years ago today: The O'Jays - The Year 2000     My song pick 3 years ago today: The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Fire   My song pick 4 years ago today: Los Bravos - Going Nowhere   My song pick 5 years ago today: The Kinks - You Can't Stop The Music   My song pick 6 years ago today: Fleetwood Mac - The World Keeps On Turning   My song pick 7 years ago today: Soundgarden - Slaves & Bulldozers My song pick 8 years ago today: Pearl Jam - Daughter My song pick 9 years ago today: Alice in Chains - Don't Follow My song ...

From: Mirror ; Year: 1979; Genre: Rock This Saturday just seems like a perfect time for another song from Blue Öyster Cult. You're Not the One (I Was Looking For) is one written by Caryn Bouchard and drummer Albert Bouchard, which also features him on lead vocals.   Hear You're Not the One (I Was Looking For) on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Sun Ra - Space is the Place     My song pick 2 years ago today: Taco - Singin' in the Rain     My song pick 3 years ago today: Big Maybelle - Candy   My song pick 4 years ago today: David Bowie - Sweet Thing/Candidate/Sweet Thing (Reprise)   My song pick 5 years ago today: The Pretenders - Don't Get Me Wrong   My song pick 6 years ago today: The Steve Miller Band - Motherless Children   My song pick 7 years ago today: Howlin' Wolf - Forty-Four My song pick 8 years ago today: Arlo - Stab the Unstoppable Hero My song pick 9 years ago today: Wild Turkey - One Sole...

From: Soul Street ; Year: 1974; Genre: Soul/Funk/R&B Still have a great deal of Stax Record's music on my mind, so I'm picking one from an artist that I like from their roster. Eddie Floyd is probably most known for his monumental hit Knock on Wood, but had many other great hit tracks, like this one.   Hear Soul Street on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Black Sabbath - Changes     My song pick 2 years ago today: Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR) - Susie Q     My song pick 3 years ago today: Lakeside - U Got It Goin' On   My song pick 4 years ago today: Genesis - Counting Out Time   My song pick 5 years ago today: Asia - Never Again   My song pick 6 years ago today: Red Hot Chili Peppers - Go Robot   My song pick 7 years ago today: What Made Milwaukee Famous - Trying to Never Catch Up My song pick 8 years ago today: Van der Graaf Generator - Pilgrims My song pick 9 years ago today: Pink Floyd - I...

From: Poodle Hat ; Year: 2003; Genre: Folk Rock/Comedy Noticed that today's pick number, 6886, is, of course a numerical palindrome , so I decided I should choose something appropriate. This "Weird Al" song is an "in the style of" type of his music; this time it was the titular "Bob" Dylan in the mid-'60s, although he does reference a couple of his songs in particular. Every lyric line is in the form of a palindrome throughout, and, of course Al, being the maven he is, does his best both lyrically and musically.   Watch the music video on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Ozzy Osbourne - Crazy Train     My song pick 2 years ago today: The Four Tops - 7 Rooms of Gloom     My song pick 3 years ago today: Spacehog - Zeroes   My song pick 4 years ago today: Carmen - Retirando   My song pick 5 years ago today: George Clinton - Last Dance My song pick 6 years ago today: Marillion - Cover My Eyes (Pain in Heaven)   My...

From: Who's Making Love... ; Year: 1968; Genre: Soul In my spare time over the last week I've been watching a documentary series about the soul hit factory that was Stax Records out of Memphis, Tennessee. I have to say that it is very enlightening to hear about the inner workings of Stax from the people who were there, wrote and made music, as well as the other people who ran it. I've always absolutely loved the music that came out of there, so it is not surprising that I thoroughly enjoy it. Anyway, this is one of the songs that was featured and one that I've always liked. I never knew that Johnny Taylor's Who's Making Love was kind of rebirth of the label after the tragic death of Otis Redding and members of his touring band the Bar-Kays, the loss of their back catalogue to Atlantic Records, as well as the murder of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr and all the Civil Rights Movement of which Memphis was one of the major battlefields of it. This track really breathed...

From: The Window of Life ; Year: 1993; Genre: Progressive Rock Just an amazing record, this one; all of the music is both beautiful and contemplative, if that makes sense. I guess that's wot you get from one of the main bands of the second wave of prog rock.   Hear Nostradamus (Stargazing) on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: The Kinks - Mr. Songbird     My song pick 2 years ago today: Bachman-Turner Overdrive (BTO) - Lost in a Fantasy     My song pick 3 years ago today: Larry Graham & Graham Central Station - People   My song pick 4 years ago today: Black Sabbath - Planet Caravan   My song pick 5 years ago today: Blind Melon - Tones of Home   My song pick 6 years ago today: Temple of the Dog - Hunger Strike   My song pick 7 years ago today: David Bowie - Cygnet Committee My song pick 8 years ago today: Genesis - Dodo/Lurker My song pick 9 years ago today: War - Slippin' Into Darkness My song pick...

From: LaVern Baker ; Year: 1957; Genre: Rock 'n Roll/R&B I cannot begin to count the sheer amount of times I've heard versions of this song on the radio, television, movies, video games and more over the years. However, this, the original doesn't really get played as much as it should. LaVern Baker has one of those blues/rock 'n roll voices that I just adore; powerful and gritty with sweetness throughout. Just amazing to think that they used to make music this good constantly; made the overall brevity of the song tolerable knowing you'd get another great one to follow it up.     Hear Jim Dandy on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: War - H2Overture     My song pick 2 years ago today: Def Leppard - Rocket     My song pick 3 years ago today: Jigsaw - Just Another Clown   My song pick 4 years ago today: Living Colour - Sunshine Of Your Love   My song pick 5 years ago today: Kansas - All The World   My s...

From: The Revenge of Alice Cooper ; Year: 2025; Genre: Hard Rock Had this new album from Alice Cooper, (the band, not... um... and the famous solo artist of the band's namesake), came to my conscious mind again, which got me to put it on once more. What Happened to You is one of the songs on the disc to feature recording of the band's original axe slinger, the late Glen Buxton. It's an excellent hard boogie-rock song that'll make you want to get up and dance to.   Hear What Happened to You on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Jerry Lee Lewis - What Made Milwaukee Famous (Made a Loser Out of Me)     My song pick 2 years ago today: Cameo - Ugly Ego     My song pick 3 years ago today: Eddie Rabbitt - Every Which Way but Loose   My song pick 4 years ago today: AC/DC - High Voltage   My song pick 5 years ago today: Three Dog Night - Never Dreamed You'd Leave in Summer   My song pick 6 years ago today: Jethro Tull - ...

From: 52nd Street ; Year: 1978; Genre: Soft Rock I believe that I've stated it before, but Glass Houses and The Stranger are without a doubt my top two favouite Billy Joel records. 52nd Street though, you'd think would be right there, and make no mistake, I love the album, but I have some weird idiosyncrasy where it just slips my mind. I remember the songs from it and such, and each time I see it it makes me feel like a moron that I did, in fact, miss it. Anyway, this is one of the main hits from it and one that most who like his work knows by heart.    Hear Honesty on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Earth, Wind & Fire - Kalimba Tree     My song pick 2 years ago today: John Denver - Fly Away     My song pick 3 years ago today: Paice Ashton Lord - Ghost Story   My song pick 4 years ago today: Thompson Twins - Lies   My song pick 5 years ago today: ABBA - Eagle   My song pick 6 years ago today: George ...

From: Word Up! ; Year: 1986; Genre: Funk/Hip-Hop I keep coming back to Word Up! , and I know why: it's a freaking awesome album, period. It is a record that you just put on and just lifts your mood to the stars with no filler songs!   Hear She's Mine on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: The Winery Dogs - The Dying     My song pick 2 years ago today: Automat - The Advance     My song pick 3 years ago today: Crowded House - Never Been The Same   My song pick 4 years ago today: Elton John - This Song Has No Title   My song pick 5 years ago today: Tin Tin - Toast and Marmalade for Tea   My song pick 6 years ago today: Funkadelic - Stink Finger   My song pick 7 years ago today: April Wine - Crash and Burn My song pick 8 years ago today: Foreigner - Cold As Ice My song pick 9 years ago today: Rush - Everyday Glory My song pick 10 years ago today: Rod Stewart - The Motown Song My song pick 11 years ago tod...

From: Counterparts ; Year: 1993; Genre: Hard Rock With this I will have picked every track from Counterparts ; not a surprise though in any sense.   Hear The Speed of Love on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Rush - For What It's Worth     My song pick 2 years ago today: Joe Walsh - Rocky Mountain Way     My song pick 3 years ago today: Glass Hammer - The Conflict   My song pick 4 years ago today: Van Der Graaf Generator - Scorched Earth   My song pick 5 years ago today: Earth, Wind & Fire - I Can Feel It In My Bones   My song pick 6 years ago today: Return to Forever - Interplay   My song pick 7 years ago today: Hawkwind - Arioch My song pick 8 years ago today: Elvis Presley - All Shook Up My song pick 9 years ago today: Deep Purple - Never Before My song pick 10 years ago today: Ex Deo - Cruor Nostri Abbas My song pick 11 years ago today: Hawkwind - Be Yourself My song pick 12 years ago toda...